Sri Lanka sets parliamentary election on August 5

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Special Correspondent
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In Sri Lanka, the date for next parliamentary election has been finally decided for August 5th. The new date comes after elections were postponed twice because of COVID crisis. Country’s election commission said, the relevant gazette notification for election date has been sent for printing. Sri Lanka’s parliament was dissolved on March 2nd and parliamentary polls were initially to be held on April 25 but had to be postponed due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Later, the election commission shifted the date to June 20 but it was again deemed not suitable due to the pandemic.

The commission held a mock poll this week at a polling station to test the COVID health guidelines and its preparedness. Commission chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said there will be five more such mock polls soon to determine the likely time needed to cast each vote while sticking to the health guidelines. The guideline also stipulate conditions for campaigning including to avoid public gathering for more than five hundred while using propaganda materials and media as the main medium for campaign. The opposition parties and civil society groups had approached the Supreme court to delay the election until COVID threat is negated but the court rejected their petitions. Over 16 million people are eligible to vote in the election to choose the 225-member parliament for a 5-year term.

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